Latest Property News around Barry, Cardiff
Landlords / Agents urged to help crack down on drug dealers!
More and more we hear of Landlords being duped into letting their properties out to well dressed, intelligent, cash paying tenants, who set up cannabis factories in rented properties.
More often than not they offer many months cash rent in advance, set up the factories and then disappear until the plants are ready to harvest.
If a Landlord or Agent suspects that a rental property is being used for illegal drug activity, let the police know, straight away. This was the message given to a packed public forum of landlords by Police in the city of Worcester this week.
The Police warned that dealers need a place to set up shop and it is usually in rented accommodation.
They added that illegal drug activity also led to other criminal activity such as fraud, forgery and gun running. To press home their point they also showed the audience photos of a rental property damaged by gunfire.
They urged Landlords and Agents to work with the police to make it difficult for drug dealers to operate.
They said steps that could be taken included background checks, taking up references and to write into Tenancy agreements that drug activity would not be tolerated.
They also warned that in extreme cases it is possible that property could be seized if someone was arrested in a rented property and, after informing the owner, another arrest were to take place at the same address without the landlord having done anything to remove the tenant.
Do not try and tackle any suspicions alone, but get the local Police involved as soon as possible.